Get ready for the Nov. 7 election

Minneapolis will use ranked-choice voting

The City of Minneapolis is gearing up for the Nov. 7 municipal election, which will be the city’s third election to use ranked-choice voting. Sample ballots are now available, and voters can go to the elections website to see how their ballots will look in November.

There are three ways voters can cast their ballots: by mail, in person at the Early Vote Center or at their polling place on Election Day. As we get closer to the election, the City is working to remind folks how to use ranked-choice voting, and to make sure people know how to register to vote, how to find their polling place, and to answer any other questions about voting.

Sample ballots available now

You can see exactly what the ballot in your precinct will look like. Just go to vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/ballot and a link there will take you to a Minnesota Secretary of State webpage where you can get your sample ballot. It’s a great way to make sure you’re prepared for the voting booth, and you can bring it with you to the polls as a reference.

In the mayor's race, 16 candidates will appear on the ballot. All City Council offices will also be on the ballot. Each ballot across the city will also feature two other city-wide contests: one for two at-large seats on the Board of Estimate and Taxation, and one for three at-large seats on the Park and Recreation Board. Every voter will also have a chance to select a representative for one of the six Park and Recreation Board districts.

Early voting is underway - Request a ballot now

Early voting has now begun, and any voter who wants to cast an early ballot can do so. This can be done in person at the Early Vote Center, 217 S. Third St., at the corner of Third Ave. S. and Third St. S., one block from City Hall. Standard voting hours will be Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., with extended hours including weekends in the final days before Election Day.

To vote early by mail, voters may request an absentee ballot. Ballots are then mailed out, and they include everything a voter needs to send back a completed ballot. Visit vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/absentee for absentee ballot applications in multiple languages that can be printed out and mailed, faxed or emailed in to request a ballot. Also online is a link to the Secretary of State’s absentee ballot lookup tool to follow the status of an absentee ballot that has been submitted. You can also watch this video on voting by mail for more information.

Oct. 17 is the deadline to pre-register to vote

Registering to vote is fast and easy. If you’ve never voted before and need to register, now is the perfect time. If it’s been more than four years since you last voted, or you’ve moved or changed your name since you last registered, you’ll also need to re-register.

Oct. 17 is the deadline for pre-registering in 2017. Voter registrations can be submitted any time, and can help ensure a smooth Election Day experience for voters, with less time spent waiting in lines and no need to bring documents with you on Election Day.

In addition to submitting voter registration applications by mail or in person to elections offices, voters have the option to register or update their registrations online. To pre-register, start the process at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/register.

This election uses ranked-choice voting

Minneapolis voters will use ranked-choice voting this fall to elect a mayor and members of the City Council, Board of Estimate and Taxation, and Park and Recreation Board. Ranked-choice voting is a way of voting that eliminates the need for separate primary elections. Voters rank up to three candidates for each office. The ballot has three columns, and choices are made from left to right in those columns. Ranked-choice voting is used only for municipal elections in Minneapolis.

Get elections info at vote.minneapolismn.gov

The City has an elections-focused website: vote.minneapolismn.gov. This website is a central place to go for accurate, timely information about this year’s election and ranked-choice voting. The fresh, intuitive design is focused on the user, with content on the site arranged according to specific audiences including voters, candidates, volunteers and students.

Published Sep 27, 2017

QUICK LINKS

Accessibility: For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats, contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.